Integrated optical coherence analysis system

Abstract

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe and system designs are disclosed that minimize the effects of mechanical movement and strain to the probe to the OCT analysis. It also concerns optical designs that are robust against noise from the OCT laser source. Also integrated OCT system-probes are included that yield compact and robust electro-opto-mechanical systems along with polarization sensitive OCT systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An integrated optical system for detecting an interference signal generated by an OCT probe, the integrated optical system comprising:
 an hermetic package; 
 an optical bench in the hermetic package; 
 a detector system attached to the bench and in the hermetic package for detecting the interference signal; 
 a beam splitter system attached to the bench and in the hermetic package that couples an OCT signal from a swept laser source to the OCT probe and couples the interference signal from the OCT probe to the detector system; and 
 an amplitude detector for detecting a portion of the OCT signal received from the swept laser source. 
 
     
     
       2. A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter system comprises a polarizing beam splitter for directing a first portion of the interference signal of a first polarization to a first interference detector of the detector system and second portion of the interference signal of a second polarization to a second detector of the detector system. 
     
     
       3. A system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a k-clock optical reference attached to the bench for spectrally filtering the OCT signal and a k-clock detector for detecting the OCT signal filtered by the k-clock optical reference to generate a k-clock signal. 
     
     
       4. A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the swept source comprises a swept laser source. 
     
     
       5. A system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a lens for coupling OCT signal into an optical fiber that transmits the OCT signal to the OCT probe. 
     
     
       6. A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hermetic package is a butterfly or dual inline package. 
     
     
       7. A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the swept source comprises a swept laser source. 
     
     
       8. An integrated optical system for detecting an interference signal generated by an OCT probe, the integrated optical system comprising:
 an hermetic package; 
 an optical bench in the hermetic package; 
 a detector system attached to the bench and in the hermetic package for detecting the interference signal; 
 a beam splitter system attached to the bench and in the hermetic package that couples an OCT signal from a swept laser source to the OCT probe and couples the interference signal from the OCT probe to the detector system; and 
 a thermoelectric cooler in the hermetic package for controller the temperature of the optical bench. 
 
     
     
       9. A system as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising an amplitude detector for detecting a portion of the OCT signal received from the swept laser source. 
     
     
       10. An integrated OCT system, comprising:
 an hermetic package having an optical window; 
 an optical bench in the hermetic package; 
 a swept source laser system implemented on the optical bench and in the hermetic package for generating an OCT signal; 
 a detector system attached to the bench and in the hermetic package for detecting an interference signal; and 
 a beam splitter system attached to the bench and in the hermetic package that couples the OCT signal from the swept laser source through the optical window to an object of interest, couples a portion of the OCT signal to a reference arm, couples light returning from the reference arm to the detector system, and directs light returning from the object of interest to the detector system; and 
 an amplitude detector attached to the bench for detecting a portion of the OCT signal from the swept source laser system. 
 
     
     
       11. A system as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a k-clock optical reference attached to the bench for spectrally filtering the OCT signal and a k-clock detector for detecting the OCT signal filtered by the k-clock optical reference to generate a k-clock signal. 
     
     
       12. A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the k-clock signal is received by an analog to digital sampling system to trigger the sampling of the detector system. 
     
     
       13. A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the beam splitter system comprises only a single beam splitter which is attached to the optical bench. 
     
     
       14. A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the reference arm is entirely contained within the hermetic package. 
     
     
       15. A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the swept source comprises a swept laser source. 
     
     
       16. A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the swept source comprises a gain chip secured to the optical bench and a tunable filter, which is secured to the optical bench. 
     
     
       17. A system as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a lens for coupling the OCT signal through the optical window to the object of interest. 
     
     
       18. A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the hermetic package is a butterfly or dual inline package. 
     
     
       19. A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the swept source comprises a swept laser source which is coupled to the bench by polarization maintaining fiber. 
     
     
       20. A system as claimed in  claim 19 , further comprising an input lens structure for coupling light from the polarization maintaining fiber to the beamsplitter system. 
     
     
       21. An integrated OCT system, comprising:
 an hermetic package having an optical window; 
 an optical bench in the hermetic package; 
 a swept source laser system implemented on the optical bench and in the hermetic package for generating an OCT signal; 
 a detector system attached to the bench and in the hermetic package for detecting an interference signal; 
 a beam splitter system attached to the bench and in the hermetic package that couples the OCT signal from the swept laser source through the optical window to an object of interest, couples a portion of the OCT signal to a reference arm, couples light returning from the reference arm to the detector system, and directs light returning from the object of interest to the detector system; and 
 a thermoelectric cooler in the hermetic package for controller the temperature of the optical bench. 
 
     
     
       22. A system as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising an amplitude detector attached to the bench for detecting a portion of the OCT signal from the swept source laser system.